“CANADA …going on the inside” by N&J

Saskatoon, SK (aug 26/19) – Hobbes is all packed, all N&J affairs in order, Jesse (in his harness), perched in his new travel perch, purring ready for take off, last minute good byes to Whistler and the neighbourhood, Oh wait?? Did we forget anything? anything? check, double check… finally on the road!!! 🚐

click on pic to enlarge – right/left arrow to scroll thru the gallery

Literally 35-45 minutes along the Duffey Lake Road (east of Pemberton; towards Lillooet), there was a communal sigh in the van, relief to break the bonds with what ties one down. The rhythm of the road soon overtakes the vibrations of the spirit, and freedom ensues.

J turns to N with a look of complete peaceful bliss, and asks, what are your goals on this trip? With ease & excitement, N focuses on the guiding principals of how they define their relationship. One that is built on exuding positive energy to each other and those around, a foundation of kindness & respect. In a world where things seems so complicated, where ‘fake news’ is rampant… a chance to clear the air, to reset the mind & spirit.

‘A journey of Canada’ allows N&J to witness the real spirit of Canadians from coast to coast, to learn of their communities, the geographical differences, spiritual and human differences… what makes them tick. Embrace those differences, loving and respecting the people along the way, illustrate & rejuvenate the commonalities that bond Canadians together, this is where this journey goes…

Something nice about driving in late August, little traffic to deal with (parents getting their flock ready for school). The drive to their first camp night via Lillooet, Clinton to Bridge Lake Provincial Park (east of 100 Mile House) was blissful. A beautiful campground perched on the edge of a lake brimming with fish (if the preponderance of fishers is any gauge).

Next day started out with the drive east towards Little Fort (on Hwy 5 north of Kamloops), a very long drop in elevation made for a roller coaster of a descent. Northbound towards Valemont was uneventful until a loud BOOM trumpeting that Hobbes has just lost a tire, the right rear tire to be exact. The sidewall had disintegrated. Thankfully it was on a straight stretch allowing for a safe tire change (love that new spare tire).

After a quick refuel in Jasper, ended our day in Edmonton at a Casino parking lot conveniently located across the street from KalTire. Thankfully they had a replacement & the repair was done quickly the next morning.

N has never experienced the Canadian prairies. So it was interesting to see her response to the flatness, the vastness of the open plain… all seem to complain about the drudgery of driving through the prairies, but truth be told, all are initially amazed at the beauty (at least for a couple days 🙂 )

Saskatoon was the 3rd stop of the ‘grand tour’, at the Gordon Howe Campground… YES it’s true, ‘Mr. Hockey’ has a campsite named after him, and a baseball diamond, sports arena, park, etc… 😉

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